The Legend of Gobber the Belch
by Finmonster
Summary: Gobber the Belch has been given a chance to do something he's always dreamed about, visit his mother's homeland and be welcome with open arms. But while Gobber settles in for what should be a pleasant winter, trouble stirs in the Northern Highlands. Can he prove himself to his mother's people or is being the hero a little out of his depth? Sequel to the Dragon and the Bow
1. Welcome Home

**The Legend of Gobber the Belch**

**Chapter 1: Welcome Home**

A crisp, autumn wind blew across the expanse of the North Sea, creating choppy waves that made white foam as they crashed against one another. A small fleet of longships rode the wind across the sea, their wooden prows cutting through the water as the wind pushed against their full sails. A flag depicting a downward pointing sword over four interlocking circles on a blue field fluttered from each of the masts.

A man stood on the deck of one the longships, leaning against the deck rail as he looked out at the dark blue water with dark blue eyes. He was a large man in both height and girth with thickly muscled arms and a barrel chest. He wore a threadbare, pale yellow tunic under a frayed fur vest along with brown and tan striped trousers. His blonde hair was so short it barely peaked out from under the horned, metal helmet, at odds with the long, braided mustache he possessed. His most noticeable features though were the crude, makeshift prosthetic that replaced his left hand and his right foot, consisting of a wooden pegleg and a crude, stone hammer.

Leaning over the railing, the man looked down at the cold salt water that splashed against the hull of the ship a nervous look on his face.

"Enjoyin' th' view?" a voice said from behind, causing the man to start in surprise and almost slip on the slick deck.

Turning around, the man found a woman roughly his own age standing behind him. She was a short, plump woman, her cheeks rosy as she giggled and grinned at him. She wore a simple, homespun tan and white dress with a matching wimple that covered what the man knew were brown locks.

"Oh, Ah'm sorry, Gobber," the woman giggled, hesitantly reaching her arms out towards him in case he fell, "Did Ah startle ye?"

"Anly a little, Maudie," the man, Gobber, admitted with a chuckle, "Was lost in ma thoughts, is all."

"Ye seem tense," Maudie observed as she stepped up next to Gobber, "Are ye nervous aboot visitin' th' Highlands?"

"Nae," Gobber replied, before pausing as he thought out the answer he had given, "Alright, yes, a bit. 'At wasnae whit Ah was thinkin' aboot jist now though."

"Whit were ye thinkin' aboot then?" Maudie questioned.

"Jist curious aboot how deep it gaes," Gobber answered as he leaned over the railing and looked back at the water below.

"Ah daenae know," Maudie admitted as she glanced down the waters as well, "Why dae ye ask?"

"Ah've ne'er been this far from th' sight o' land afore," Gobber admitted as he glanced back at Maudie.

"Really?" Maudie questioned with a bemused smile, "Here Ah thought all ye Vikin's were supposed tae be these great sailors."

"Nae all o' us are," Gobber countered, "Saeme o' us hae tae stay behind an' tend tae th' villages after all."

"Ah see," Maudie stated, pausing as she looked out at the sea again, "Ye ne'er did answer ma question, ye know."

"Oh?" Gobber chuckled, "An' whit question was 'at?"

"Are ye enjoyin' th' view?" Maudie questioned again.

"Oh yes," Gobber replied with a playful grin, looking right at Maudie as he spoke, "Ah'm enjoyin' th' view very much."

Maudie smiled and blushed as she looked away from Gobber who grinned to himself. Sliding closer to Maudie, Gobber started to say something else, but was interrupted by the sound of someone loudly clearing their voice behind him.

Turning around, Gobber found a young man standing on the deck behind him. The young man's brown eyes were filled with amusement as he looked at Gobber, a smile crossing his handsome features. He ran a hand through his dark and unruly hair that hung down to his long neck, revealing the blue warpaint that spiraled down his right arm. He wore a red tartan robe with green highlights over a dark green tunic. The hilt of a claymore he had strapped to his back peeked out from over his right shoulder.

"Ah hope Ah'm nae interruptin' saemethin'," the young man stated, his bemused smile growing by the moment.

"N-Nae, m'lord," Maudie sputtered as she spun around and took a half-step away from Gobber, who gave her with a small look of disappointment, "Ye're nae interuptin' anythin'."

"Aye," Gobber agreed, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, "Maudie an' Ah were jist havin' a friendly chat, Will...Ah mean, m'lord."

"Oh, Sun above, stop 'at," Will said with a chuckle and a roll of his eyes, "Ye daenae hae tae gae callin' me 'm'lord' jist because ye're a clansman now, Gobber. Ah'm still jist a wee lordling. Will will dae jist fine."

"Alright, Will," Gobber replied with a smirk and nod of his head, "Anythin' Ah can dae fer ye?"

"Ma da wanted tae talk tae ye," Will explained, pointing towards the front of the ship with his thumb.

"Sure," Gobber answered with a nod before turning his attention towards Maudie, "Ah'll talk tae ye later?"

"Ye had better," Maudie replied playfully causing Gobber to chuckle as he walked away, following Will as they headed towards the front of the ship.

"Sae, ye an' Maudie, eh?" Will questioned with a grin as they walked.

"Um yes,...Ah mean, Ah suppose," Gobber muttered, "'At is tae say...we like tae talk an' Ah think...Ah mean she's a very good woman an' Ah…"

"Relax, Gobber," Will said with a laugh, holding his hands up to the Viking in an effort to get him to relax, "Daenae hurt yerself."

"Sorry," Gobber apologized with embarrassment, scratching the back of his head again.

"Nae need tae apologize," Will replied with a shake of his head, "Ah understand ye like her but ye haenae quite figured oot where ye an' her stand yet. Ye will though, daenae worry. Maudie's a good lass an' she's taken a real shine tae ye, Ah can tell. Ah know 'at look."

"Sounds like ye know a lot aboot women," Gobber observed with a bemused smile.

"Ah might be young," Will explained, "But Ah've had ma fair share o' encounters with th' fairer sex."

"Right," Gobber stated with a nod, "Ah recall Merida sayin' saemethin' aboot 'at."

"Oh, well, in 'at case," Will said, pointing a finger at Gobber as he spoke, "Those are lies. Terrible, scandalous lies. Nae a lick o' truth tae them."

"Nae a lick o' truth," Gobber parroted , giving Will a knowing look as they reached the front of the ship.

Standing at the prow of the ship was a man looking out at the oncoming sea. Like Will, he was a tall and slim man, his wiry arms crossed over his chest. His wild, black hair whipped in the wind, as did the hems of the tunic and kilt he wore, the same color and design as the one's Will wore.

"Da," Will said to announce their presence, "Ah found him."

Turning, the man smiled as he saw Gobber, a sharp grin to match his sharp, angular features, half of which were covered in the same blue warpaint that covered Will's arm.

"Gobber th' Belch!" he declared with a voice that sounded strangely like Gobber's own, "Jist th' man Ah was lookin' fer!"

"Well, ye found me, Lord Macintosh," Gobber replied with a chuckle and a helpless shrug as he approached the man.

"Sae we did," Lord Macintosh agreed with a nod before glancing over at Will, "Thanks, son."

"Nae problem," Will replied as he gave a small wave before turning around and heading towards another part of the ship.

"Ah'm sure ye want tae know whit it is Ah wanted tae talk tae ye aboot," Lord Macintosh said as Gobber stepped up next to him.

"Aye, a bit," Gobber admitted with a nod.

"Well, Ah suppose Ah wanted tae talk tae ye aboot our home," Macintosh said as he clapped Gobber on the shoulder while turning the other man's attention towards the sea, "We'll be arrivin' in th' Highlands soon. Ye excited tae see yer mother's homeland?"

"Honestly, Ah'm a bit nervous," Gobber admitted.

"Naethin' tae worry aboot ma friend," Lord Macintosh assured him, "It will be like ye've been living there yer whole life."

Gobber's expression was unsure but he didn't say anything in argument.

"Ye'll be stayin' with ma family as an honored guest fer th' duration," Lord Macintosh went on, "Ye can stay as long as ye like, though Ah imagine ye'll be travelin' back tae Berk with us fer th' weddin' come th' spring."

"Aye," Gobber answered with a nod, "An' thank ye fer yer hospitality."

"Think naethin' o' it," Lord Macintosh replied with a dismissive wave, "Ye're family after all."

A small smile crossed Gobber's face at the comment.

"Sae, Ah take it Maudie will be holidayin' with ye?" Lord Macintosh asked with a cheeky grin.

"Yes, Ah mean, nae," Gobber replied, fumbling for words, "'At is tae say, she is on holiday, but she waenae be stayin' in th' same room as me but-"

Lord Macintosh cut him off by holding up a hand, chuckling in amusement as he did.

"Relax," Macintosh said, his grin growing as he spoke, "Ah think Ah understand. Daenae worry, she will be stayin' with us as well."

"Thank ye," Gobber said, his flushed face returning to its normal color.

"Ye know, ye really hae tae stop thankin' me fer these thin's," Macintosh stated with a chuckle, "All o' this is th' least Ah cud dae."

"Sae, how much further?" Gobber questioned.

"Nae far," Lord Macintosh replied, "Fer us at least."

"Whit dae ye mean?" Gobber asked, quirking an eyebrow at Macintosh.

"Macintosh lands are th' closest anes tae Berk," Lord Macintosh explained, "They take up th' central eastern part o' th' Highlands."

"Ah suppose 'at explains our shared history," Gobber observed.

"Aye," Macintosh agreed with a small nod as he looked out at the expansive sea towards home, "Ah suppose it daes.

"Whit aboot th' other lords an' th' king?" Gobber inquired.

"Ance we get in sight o' land, th' king's ships will turn south an' follow th' coast down tae Dunbroch," Lord Macintosh explained, "Dingwall an' MacGuffin, on th' other hand, will turn north."

"Both o' their lands are north o' yers?" Gobber questioned.

"Nae," Macintosh answered with a shake of his head, "MacGuffin's lands lay tae th' east o' ma own, which means if he wants tae sail his own ships back tae his own lands he has tae gae up an' around th' northernmost tip o' this great island we call home."

"Sounds like quite th' trip," Gobber observed.

"Aye an' treacherous," Macintosh added, "Th' trip will bring him well within th' reach o' th' Norselands."

"But ye've made peace with us," Gobber pointed out.

"Aye, th' Highlands hae made peace with th' Vikin's o' Berk," Macintosh agreed, "But ye know as well as anyane 'at makin' peace with Berk daes nae make peace with th' other Vikin' tribes. It is true 'at Berk is plentiful with resources an' is located in th' southern reaches o' th' Norselands, which made it th' largest Vikin' threat tae th' Highlands. This daes nae mean ye were th' anly Vikin' threat we hae faced."

"Ah see," Gobber said as he nodded his head grimly, "Stoick daes hae same pull with same o' th' other tribes, like th' Berserkers an' th' Bashems. They shud fall in line with his policies."

"'At's certainly th' hope," Macintosh agreed, "Perhaps Berk can help with th' other danger th' Northern Highlands present."

"Whit danger is 'at?" Gobber inquired.

"Well, as th' cartographers like tae write on their maps, 'Here there be dragons,'" Lord Macintosh said with a grin.

"Hae dragons been a problem fer th' Highlands?" Gobber asked.

"Nae as large a problem as they hae been fer Berk an' th' rest o' th' Norselands," Macintosh answered, "But we've had our fair share o' dragon attacks over th' years an' th' problem gets worse th' farther ye gae north."

"Ye think it might be another nest o' dragons like th' ane near Berk?" Gobber suggested.

"Th' king has pondered th' same question afore," Macintosh said as a grim expression fell over his face, "But if it wud be anythin' like 'at sun-forsaken island we saw up north, Ah certainly hope 'at there isnae."

"Aye," Gobber agreed with a sober nod, "Though after whit we've learned, perhaps we can turn it tae our advantage."

"Ah daenae think Ah'm ready tae ride a dragon quite yet," Macintosh stated with a chuckle.

"From th' way Hiccup tells it, Ah daenae think there's ever a point where ye're ready tae ride a dragon," Gobber replied with a small laugh of his own.

"Ah can believe 'at," Macintosh said with a grin.

"Why daesn't MacGuffin just sail around th' southern part o' th' island?" Gobber questioned.

"Because, unfortunately, the Highland Kingdom is nae th' anly kingdom on this great island," Macintosh explained, "An' we've ne'er quite gotten along with our neighbors tae th' south."

"Is it really 'at bad?" Gobber questioned.

"Th' kingdom of Duloc is a powerful kingdom an' they wud like naethin' more than an excuse tae gae tae war with us," Macintosh explained, "If Macintosh ran intae Vikin's, there's a chance they'd kill him. If he ran intae Dulocians, it's a guarantee."

"Ah see," Gobber replied soberly.

As they talked, a happy cry went out from above them. Looking up, Gobber spotted the man in the crow's nest waving and pointing in excitement, the Macintosh flag, a light green harp encircled by a similarly colored line that entwined over the harp in a sharp, dagger-like point on a field of black, fluttered above him.

"Land! Land!" the man cried happily, "Highlands an' home!"

A cry of happiness went up amongst the men on the ship, echoed by the other ships in their small fleet. Turning his attention towards the horizon, Gobber couldn't help but smile as he saw land start to rise up out of the cold water of the sea. As they drew closer, Gobber could make out rocky cliffs topped with green fields standing tall against the pounding waves. One cliff in particular was topped with an imposing castle that look down on a small bay where Gobber was willing to be a village was located.

"Look at 'at!" Macintosh exclaimed with a happy laugh, "Ainae she a beaut? Hearth, Highlands an' home!"

"Well Gobber," Macintosh continued as he clapped his hand on Gobber's shoulder again, "Let me be th' first tae say welcome home!"

A/N: Hey guys! I know I only just finished When the Cold Wind is a Callin' but we got to keep this train moving, so here's the start of the next story! I'm kind of excited for this one, because it mostly involves focusing on characters who up until this point have been secondary characters. I hope you like this little side adventure because I think it's going to be fun. As always, feedback and critiques are always welcome so please review! Later!


	2. Fitting In

**Chapter 2: Fitting In**

Gulls shrieked overhead as the waves crashed against the shore, mixing with the sound of the bustling docks as the longships bearing the banner of the Macintosh clan sailed into the harbor. A cheer went up from the gathered crowd as the longships floated up to the docks, retracting their oars and furling their sails as some of the men jumped onto the dock and began tying the boat to the docks.

As soon as the ships were secured, gangplanks were lowered to the docks, allowing the rest of the longships' passengers to disembark. As the men made their way onto the docks, they quickly were met with their families who were standing huddled nearby. The sounds of happy reunions filled the air as Gobber watched from the deck, though here and there he could see the sad scene of a man having to inform a family of their loved one's demise.

The feeling of a hand slapping against his shoulder snapped Gobber out of his thoughts.

"Come on, Gobber!" Lord Macintosh declared with a friendly grin, Will smiling next to him, "Ye cannae stand here all day! Yer homeland awaits!"

"A-Aye!" Gobber stuttered in embarrassment before motioning for Macintosh and his son to go in front of him. Nodding, Lord Macintosh and Will walked down the gangplank, waving to the gathered people as they went, the families cheering as they saw their lord and his son.

Turning his head, Gobber looked at Maudie standing next to him.

"Ye can dae it," Maudie encouraged him, "They waenae bite. Most waenae at least."

Chuckling, Gobber took a deep breath,slowly letting it out before he began to hobble down the gangplank, adjusting the pack he had slung over his shoulder as he went. At first, Gobber's presence on the dock went unnoticed, the Highlanders distracted by their families and their lord. Then, slowly, the villagers began to notice Gobber, the women, children and elderly grew quiet as they looked at him in confusion. Soon enough, all conversation on the docks had stopped as the Highlander families were openly staring at Gobber, the warriors who had traveled with him looking awkwardly between the Viking and their families. Glancing over at Maudie as she stepped onto the dock, Gobber saw her give him a nervous smile.

"Whit's he daein' here!?" a young man spoke up as an angry murmur went through the crowd.

"Ma people, fergive me!" Lord Macintosh spoke up as he brought everyone's attention back to him as he made his way through the crowd, "Ah hae fergotten tae make introductions."

Walking up next to Gobber, Lord Macintosh placed a hand on the Viking's shoulder.

"This is Gobber th' Belch," Macintosh continued, "Th' newest member o' our clan!"

Silence fell over the dock as the Highlanders looked at their lord in confusion.

"Whit dae ye mean by 'at!?" someone questioned from the back of the crowd.

"Well, as saeme o' ye may remember, years ago a woman from our clan, ma cousin, was taken in a Vikin' raid," Macintosh explain, "Turns oot she had a son. Sae, let us welcome our newest clansman, Gobber O'Macintosh!"

Hushed whispers went through the crowd as the Highlanders gave Gobber questioning looks. After a few awkward moments, Will let out a happy cry, quickly joined in by the other Highlander warriors, which seemed to ease the tension in the crowd, prompting a few of the villagers to join in half-heartedly.

"Alright then," Lord Macintosh said with a rushed tone, "Enjoy yer homecomin' everyane! Ah hae ma own family tae see tae."

"Come along, lad," Macintosh whispered to Gobber as he began to lead the large man through the crowd, the Highlanders parting to allow their lord to pass.

"Well, 'at was awkward," Gobber commented as they exited the crowd, Will and Maudie falling into step alongside them.

"Aye, nae kiddin'," Will agreed with a snort.

"Well, ye hae tae remember, Vikins an' Highlanders still daenae hae th' best o' relationships," Lord Macintosh explained as they stepped off the dock, "Ma men an' Ah might hae come tae like ye lot, but 'at daesnae mean 'at th' rest o' ma people are gaein' tae like ye right away."

"If ever," Gobber added dubiously.

"Hey, daenae be sae dour, lad," Macintosh said with a chuckle, "Ye've anly jist arrived. Plenty o' time fer thin's tae get worse."

"Speakin' o' arrivals," Will said, looking to the side of the docks with a growing smile, "Look who jist showed up!"

Following Will's gaze, Gobber saw two young men get off a small dinghy that had pulled ashore, the sailors who had rowed it quickly pushing the boat back out into the water and rowing back towards a longship that was waiting offshore.

One of the young men was much larger than the other, standing almost as tall as Gobber himself and just as broad. His dark blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he looked around with wide, blue eyes. He wore a grey tunic under a boiled leather jerkin and green tartan robe and kilt.

The other one was shorter than even Will, with bright blonde hair and glazed blue eyes. He had large, protruding ears, buckteeth and a long, skinny neck. He wore a grey tunic under a green and brown tartan robe and kilt.

"Andra! Boyd!" Will asked with a laugh as he jogged over to them, waving, "What are ye sorry lot daein' here!?"

The large young man mumbled something, a happy smile on his face. Will looked at him in confusion before turning to the other one. The young man looked at Will with a glassy eyed stare for a few moments, not saying anything.

"Oh," the young man said, blinking in surprise as if he had just realized Will was talking to him, "Andra said 'at our dads are gaein' tae hae us stay a little while with ye an' yer family."

"Really!?" Will asked happily, "'At's wonderful!"

Stepping between his friends, Will placed his hands on their shoulders as he led them over to Gobber and his father.

"Ah, there ye two are!" Lord Macintosh said with a laugh, "Ah hae tae admit, with everythin' 'at's been happenin', Ah fergot 'at ye'd be stayin' with us fer awhile."

"Well, it's a pleasant surprise then," Will stated with a laugh.

"It's good tae see ye lads again," Gobber said with a grin as Maudia smiled and nodded behind him.

"Alright, come on now," Lord Macintosh spoke up as he tried to herd the others up the hill away from the docks, "Ah'd like tae get home saemetime taeday."

Following a dirt path up from the docks, the group made their way through a village near the base of the cliffs. Dozens of wood and thatch buildings clustered around the dirt road that went up to the stone castle sitting atop the cliff. The village was largely empty, most of the villagers down at the docks reuniting with their families. The sounds of chickens and sheep echoed from between the buildings, as did the sound of horses snorting and whinnying in their stables. The familiar sight of smoke rising from the local smithy brought a smile to Gobber's face as he passed.

As they made their way out of the village and up the hill, Gobber was able to get a better look at the castle that sat on the top of an outcropping of rock that jutted out over the sea, cliffs surrounding it on three sides. It was a sturdy stone castle, with a thick walls that went from the edge of one cliff to another, allowing the natural defenses granted by the steep cliffs to protect the square keep's exposed sides. Near the center of the wall was a thick wooden gate, reinforced with iron and protected with a steel portcullis. The gate was flanked by a pair of towers, on top of which Gobber could see archers watching from between the battlements. A flag depicting the Highland Kingdom's symbol flew from the top of the keep, while a flag depicting the Macintosh flag flew over each of the towers.

"Open th' gates!" Gobber heard one of the sentries call as they drew closer to the gate, "Lord Macintosh returns!"

The loud clanking of chains accompanied the raising of the portcullis as the small group reached the gates. A moment after the portcullis locked in place, the wooden gates swung inwards, allowing the group entry.

As Gobber passed under the gate, he glanced around at what lay beyond. Two men wearing Macintosh colors flanked the entrance, waiting for the group to pass by so that they could close the doors behind them. The gates led to an open courtyard mostly covered in compact dirt, a few weeds sticking out here and there. A stable sat in one corner of the courtyard while a kennel occupied another, the sounds of horses and dogs filling the air and echoing off the stone walls. In another part of the courtyard, the familiar sight of a smithy caught Gobber's eyes, though no smoke rose from its chimney.

A few moments after they had entered the courtyard, the heavy wooden door leading into the keep opened and a girl stepped out. She was a young girl, looking younger than Will, with curly black hair and blue eyes. She had a petite frame and wore a green colored dress fit for a noble lady.

"Da!" the girl exclaimed happily as she ran across the courtyard towards them, "Ye're back!"

"Indeed Ah am, ma beautiful, baby girl!" Lord Macintosh cooed as he leaned down and scooped up the girl, swinging her through the air as he hugged her.

"Ah was sae worried ye'd ne'er come back!" the girl said as Lord Macintosh put her down, allowing her to turn and hug Will, slamming into the young man so hard that she almost knocked him over.

"Whit, and give ye th' satisfaction o' being right?" Will joked as he returned the hug, "Ne'er in a million years, little sister."

The girl glared at Will and smacked him lightly on the arm earning a chuckle from the young man. Turning away from Will, she noticed his friends standing nearby, causing her to gasp, blushing as she quickly turned away.

"Ah see ye brought yer friends too," she said quietly as she glanced over at them shyly, playing with a strand of her hair as she looked at Boyd.

"Indeed Ah did," Will answered with a smile and a roll of his eyes as he followed his sister's gaze. Standing to the side, Andra chuckled as he looked down at Boyd, who was staring into space. Tapping the young man on the shoulder, Andra brought Boyd's attention back to reality, indicating to the girl as the blonde looked up at him. Spotting the girl, Boyd smiled and waved at her, causing her to blush as she turned away again.

As she turned away, the girl happened to glance at Gobber, doing a double take as she fully realized the Viking was there. For a moment, the girl did nothing but stare at Gobber with wide eyes, the Viking starting to fidget uncomfortably under the weight of her gaze.

"Da?" the girl said quietly, her eyes remaining locked with Gobber's.

"Aye, Aileene?" her father questioned with a smirk.

"Ye know there's a Vikin' with ye, right?" the girl, Aileene, asked.

"Aye, Ah brought him here," Lord Macintosh explained with a chuckle.

"...Why?" Aileene questioned.

"Because, as it sae happens, he is also part o' our clan," her father explained.

"Huh?" Aileene asked in confusion.

"His mother was part o' our clan," Will explained, "She was...taken in a raid, which led tae his birth."

"Oh," Aileene replied as she awkwardly tucked a strand of her curly hair behind her ear, "Ah see."

"Ah hope Ah haenae distressed ye, m'lady," Gobber stated with awkward nervousness.

"Oh nae, nae at all!" Aileene replied quickly, a distressed look on her face, "Ah've jist ne'er met saemeane like ye afore...Ah'm sorry, Ah daenae even know yer name."

"Gobber, m'lady," the Viking answered as he gave Aileene a small bow, "Gobber th' Belch."

"'At is...quite th' interestin' name," Aileene commented with a chuckle.

"Aye, indeed it is," Gobber agreed with a chuckle of his own, "But it fits me all th' same."

"Alright, Ah daenae know aboot ye lot but Ah think 'at's enough talkin' fer now," Lord Macintosh spoke up, "Aileene, why daenae ye an' Will show our guests tae their rooms, ane fer each o' them. We can put th' lads on th' first floor an' our other guests on th' second."

"Alright, Da," Aileene agreed with a nod before turning to address the group, "Follow me, please."

As Aileene began to lead them into the castle, Lord Macintosh broke away and began making his way around the keep, Gobber watching him go with a confused look on his face.

"Where's yer father gaein'?" Gobber questioned as he turned his attention to Will and Aileene in time to see the siblings share a look.

"He's going to speak with our mother," Will explained quickly. The answer failed to satisfy Gobber and he glanced over at Maudie, who shook her head, prompting the Viking to let the subject go.

As they entered the castle, Gobber glanced around at the large entrance hall. Much like the outer walls, the hall was made out of hewn stone, the bare rock covered by a number of colorful tapestries that Gobber assumed depicted scenes from the area's history. A number of smaller hallways branched off from the one they were in, along with a narrow set of stairs that wound up to the higher levels, all illuminated by torches set in scones along the walls.

"Come on lads," Will said as he, Andra and Boyd split off from the others, "Let's get ye settled in."

"Follow me," Aileene stated as she led Maudie and Gobber up the stairs, "Yer room is up here."

"Uh, 'at wud be rooms" Gobber corrected awkwardly.

"Pardon?" Aileene questioned, glancing back at Gobber as they made their way up the stairs.

"We're, uh, gaein' tae need separate rooms," Gobber explained as he glanced nervously at Maudie, who was looking at her feet.

"...Oh!" Aileene exclaimed in realization, "Ah'm sorry, Ah thought ye two were..."

"Oh nae!" Gobber said, blushing as he shook his head quickly, almost losing his balance as they reached the top of the stairs, "Nae 'at Ah...whit Ah mean is..."

"It's alright, Gobber," Maudie spoke up, placing her hand on one of his broad shoulders, "Ah think she understands."

"Ah dae," Aileene agreed as she smiled at the two adults while stopping before a pair of doors on opposite walls of the hall, "Luckily these two rooms are right next tae each other."

"Thank ye, m'lady," Maudie said with a smile, "This will dae lovely."

"Ah'll let ye two get settled in," Aileene said as she began to make her way back down the stairs, "Dinner shud be ready in aboot an hour."

"Thank ye," Gobber said with a nod before he turned and entered his room as Aileene began making her way down the stairs. Gobber took a moment to glance around the room which was furnished with a few simple items such as a bed and a wardrobe.

As Gobber set his pack down on the bed, a small knock came from the door. Turning around, Gobber found Maudie standing in the doorway.

"Maudie!" Gobber said in surprise, figuring she was in her own room, "Is...Is there saemethin' Ah can dae tae help ye?"

"No, it's just..." Maudie began to say before taking a small breath, "Is there saemethin' wrong?"

"Whit dae ye mean?" Gobber questioned in confusion.

"It's jist 'at...ever since we left Berk, ye've been actin' strangely," Maudie explained, looking uncomfortable as she spoke.

"Well, like Ah said afore, Ah'm a bit nervous bein' here fer th' first time," Gobber explained.

"'At's nae whit Ah'm talkin' aboot," Maudie replied, "Ah mean ye've been actin' strangely around me."

"Oh," Gobber said quietly, "Ah think Ah see."

"Have Ah done saemethin' tae offend ye?" Maudie questioned, a worried expression on her face, "If Ah hae, Ah cannae tell ye how sorry Ah am. Ah ne'er-"

"Nae, nae, it's nae ye, Maudie," Gobber interrupted her, "It's me."

"Whit dae ye mean?" Maudie asked in confusion.

"Well, th' thing is, Ah'm nae particularly good with….with women," Gobber explained awkwardly.

"Whit?" Maudie questioned, clearly not understanding.

"Back on Berk, Ah wasnae very popular growin' up," Gobber elaborated, "Even after Ah became friends with Stoick an' th' others, there was a number o' people who gave me a wide berth. Because o' 'at Ah've ne'er…."

"Ye've ne'er had a women be interested in ye afore," Maudie surmised, a look of realization crossing her face.

"Aye, sae Ah'm afraid o' daein' saemethin' 'at will ruin it," Gobber said with a sigh, "Assumin' ye're interested at all."

"Ah can assure ye, Gobber," Maudie said, smiling as she took a step towards the Viking and lay a hand on his shoulder, "Ah am, withoot a doubt, interested in ye."

"Oh...well…." Gobber mumbled nervously in reply, "At least 'at lays saeme worries tae rest."

"Ah would hope so," Maudie giggled at him, "An' dae ye want tae know why Ah'm interested in ye?"

"Uh….is it ma winnin' personality?" Gobber guessed with an awkward chuckle.

"'At's part o' it, but nae all o' it," Maudie replied with a giggle as she stepped closer to Gobber, laying a hand on his chest over his heart, causing the Viking to blush, "It's because ye hae a good heart."

"Well, Ah dae try tae exercise an' eat right," Gobber stated.

"Nae, nae like 'at," Maudie said with a laugh, "Ah mean ye're a good person, a good man. Ah can tell by th' way ye interact with those around ye, especially those close tae ye like Hiccup an' Stoick."

"An' ye find 'at….attractive?" Gobber questioned, a dubious expression on his face.

"Oh aye," Maudie replied as she looked up at Gobber through half-lidded eyes, "Ah find carin', funny, kind-hearted men very attractive."

"Oh….alright then," Gobber said in reply, clearly unsure of his own voice.

"Sae, if ye're worried aboot daein' saemethin' wrong, jist try tae be yerself," Maudie suggested with a chuckle, "'At's whit Ah like anyway."

"Ah'll keep 'at in mind," Gobber replied with a grin.

"See 'at ye dae," Maudie stated before standing up on her tiptoes and kissing Gobber on the cheek, catching the Viking completely off guard, "Now, clean yerself up. Ye'll want tae look presentable fer th' dinner taenight."

Gobber said nothing as Maudie left, the Highlander giggling to herself as she glanced back at the stunned Viking before entering her room and closing the door behind her. Gobber continued to stare at her door for a few moments before he managed to blink himself back to reality.

"Alright, Gobber, ye auld dog," the Viking said to himself as he touched the spot where Maudie had kissed him with his good hand, "Be yerself. Shudnae be too hard. It's nae like ye know how tae be anyane else!"

With that, Gobber chuckled as he closed his door before he moved to change into some fresh clothes for the evening.

A/N: One of the reasons I'm excited to write this story is it gives me the opportunity to expand on things the source materials doesn't focus on. As such, I hope you guys like how I'm depicting the Macintoshes and their lands, as well as the things I'll show in the future! As always, feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!


	3. History

**Chapter 3: History**

Laughter and music filled the great feast hall of Macintosh Castle. Four long tables dominated most of the room, allowing for plenty of seating for the Highlanders that filled the hall. Wooden chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling, illuminating the room with the burning candles they held. Tapestries covered much of the bare stone walls, each depicting a scene from the history of the Macintosh clan.

Sitting at a table on a raised dias near one end of the room, Gobber looked out at the rest of the rest of the hall. He watched as the Highlanders feasted and laughed with one another, though he noted a few of the women and the younger men shooting occasional glares at him.

"Are ye alright, Mr. Gobber?" Aileene questioned from her seat to the Viking's right, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, yes, Ah'm fine," Gobber replied, blinking his eyes as he turned to look at Aileene, "Jist takin' in th' new perspective, is all."

"Is this very different from Berk?" Aileene questioned curiously before taking a bite from her meal.

"Nae very," Gobber answered as he looked around the room, "We've got a hall nae too different from this ane back on Berk. Th' difference is Ah'm usually down there with th' rest o' th' regular folk."

"Well, here, ye are ma father's honored guest, an' thus deserve a seat at our table," Aileene stated, a smile on her face.

"Certainly nae a situation Ah am familiar with," Gobber stated with a chuckle.

"What is it 'at ye dae back on Berk?" Aileene questioned as she took a sip from her cup.

"Ah'm a blacksmith," Gobber explained proudly, "Ah'm also an occasional dragonslayin' trainer, though Ah daenae think Ah'll be gettin' much call fer 'at anymore."

"Ah remember Will sayin' th' man Princess Merida is gaein' tae marry has blacksmith trainin'," Aileene commented.

"Aye, 'at's Hiccup," Gobber replied with a grin, "He's ma apprentice….or at least, he was."

"Whit dae ye mean?" Aileene questioned, tilting her head to the side as she spoke.

"Well, now 'at he's practically guaranteed tae take over fer his father, Ah'll hae tae find saemeane tae replace him as ma apprentice," Gobber explained.

"Ah daenae understand," Aileene stated, her brow furrowed in confusion, "If Hiccup is th' chief's son, why was him becomin' th' next chief ever in question?"

"Ye daenae become a Vikin' chief jist because yer father was," Gobber elaborated, "Vikin's respect strength an' fer a while it seemed like Hiccup didnae hae 'at strength."

"But he proved ye all wrong," Aileene observed as she took another bite of her meal.

"Indeed he did," Gobber agreed as he took a swig of his drink, "In more ways than ane."

"Is it true whit Will an' ma father said?" Aileene questioned, her eyes going wide with wonder, "'At Hiccup an' Merida learned how tae train dragons?"

"'At they did," Gobber confirmed with a grin before taking another bite of his food.

"'At's amazin'," Aileene said in astonishment before a thought occurred to her and she looked at Gobber eagerly, "Dae ye know how tae train a dragon?"

"Ah know th' gist o' it," Gobber replied with a shrug, looking uncertain, "Ah wudnae put much trust in me tae dae it though. Daenae think Ah've got it in me."

"Why's 'at?" Aileene inquired.

"Well, Ah've spent ma whole life trainin' tae an' actually killin' dragons. Ah've been daein' it sae long 'at Ah daenae think Ah cud train ane. There's jist too much bad blood."

"Like th' bad blood between Vikin's an' Highlanders?" Aileene questioned with a knowing look.

Gobber fell silent as he looked at Aileene, blinking a few times in surprise.

"Ye're wise fer yer age, milady," Gobber commented with a smirk.

"Ah'd like tae think sae," Aileene replied with a smile before taking another bite of her food.

Hearing a loud laugh, Gobber looked to see Lord Macintosh at the center of the table, patting Will on the back and grinning at his son. Gobber grinned at the sight before a thought came to him.

"Milady," Gobber said, catching Aileene's attention, "Where is yer mother?"

Aileene turned and looked at Gobber with wide, surprised eyes. At the same time, Maudie hissed his name from her position to Gobber's left and grabbed his arm.

"Excuse me?" Aileene questioned with a quiet voice.

"Ah'm sorry, milady, he daesnae mean any harm by it," Maudie spoke up, leaning around Gobber so she could talk to Aileene.

"Did Ah say saemethin' wrong?" Gobber questioned in confusion.

"Nae, it's jist a….touchy subject," Aileene answered.

"Why? Is there saemethin' wrong with her?" Gobber asked before hissing in pain as Maudie dug her fingernails into his arm.

"She….she's dead," Aileene admitted after a moment.

"...Oh," Gobber said in quiet shock before turning his head to glare at Maudie, "Why didnae ye tell me 'at?"

"Ah thought it was obvious," Maudie hissed in reply.

"Well, it wasnae," Gobber whispered.

"Evidently," Maudie shot back.

"It's alright," Aileene spoke up, giving Gobber as small smile as he turned to face her again, "Ah know ye didnae mean any harm."

"Ah'm sorry all th' same," Gobber replied, "It's jist, ye said yer father was gaein' tae speak with her when we arrived."

"He was," Aileene confirmed, "She's buried oot behind th' keep by th' cliffs. She used tae like watchin' th' waves crashin' against th' shore. At least, 'at's whit they tell me."

"Did ye nae know her well?" Gobber questioned.

"Nae, she died in th' war nae long after Ah was born," Aileene explained.

"Th' war?" Gobber asked, his face growing pale.

"Nae th' war with Berk," Aileene explained, "Th' ane with th' Vendal."

"Th' Vendal?" Gobber questioned in surprise before he thought for a moment, "Ah remember th' princess mentionin' a war o' some sort with th' Vendal."

"It happened nae long after our war with Berk," Aileene elaborated, "We were still weak after 'at an' were still gettin' used tae bein' a unified kingdom. Th' Demon Bear must hae figured this was th' best time tae attack."

"Mor'du," Gobber growled, his eyes narrowing in anger.

"Th' very same," Aileene replied quietly, "They attacked Macintosh lands first, like th' Vikin's afore them. They caught us off guard, sacked th' castle an' burnt th' village tae th' ground. We barely escaped an' many people died includin'…."

Aileene paused and bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes. Reaching out, Gobber placed his good hand on Aileene's shaking shoulder. Looking over at them, Aileene found Gobber and Maudie both giving her sympathetic looks.

"Ye daenae hae tae keep talkin' aboot it if ye daenae want tae, milady," Maudie stated with a sad smile.

"Nae, Ah want tae," Aileene replied as she quickly wiped her eyes, "Mr. Gobber shud know his people's story."

"In 'at case, whit happened next. milady?" Gobber questioned.

"Th' war began in earnest," Aileene explained, "Mor'du used th' castle as th' Vendal base while they raided th' countryside. Most o' our lands were put tae th' torch an' th' people who survived scattered intae th' lands o' th' neighborin' clans. By th' time th' king received word o' th' attacks an' managed tae muster his army, Mor'du had already pushed deep intae MacGuffin lands."

"He was dividin' ye," Gobber surmised, "He was tryin' tae split th' kingdom in two."

"He was," Aileene confirmed, "He kept Dingwall's men from joinin' with th' rest an' forced MacGuffin against th' sea. MacGuffin tried tae hire men from th' Emerald Isles tae fight fer him but they broke at th' first sign o' trouble an' Mor'du managed tae split MacGuffin's forces in half."

"It daesnae seem like th' war was gaein' in th' Highlands favor," Gobber observed as he took a sip from his drink.

"It wasnae," Aileene concurred, "After he defeated MacGuffin, Mor'du headed south tae face th' king. Will says people were sure th' king wud lose. All he had was his own clansmen along with a handful o' ours an' MacGuffin's against th' Vendal horde."

"Where did Mor'du get sae many men?" Gobber pondered aloud.

"Naebody knows fer sure," Aileene replied with a shrug, "Ah've heard people say he kept women, both Vendal an' those he captured, chained up tae use as breedin' stock."

"'At's awful," Maudie moaned as she covered her mouth in shock.

"Wudnae anyane help?" Gobber questioned, "Daesnae th' Highlands hae allies?"

"Nae back then," Aileene replied with a shake of her head, "Th' Highland Kingdoms had jist formed after th' war with Berk. Most o' th' southern nations saw us as nae better than th' Vendal an' wudnae get involved in a conflict between two 'barbarian tribes.' Th' Emerald Isles had already proved nae help an' Duloc was actively against us, guardin' their border an' killin' any o' our people who tried tae cross it, blamin' it all on ogres."

"Bastards," Gobber muttered angrily.

"It was exactly whit Mor'du expected," Aileene went on, "Nobody wud come tae our aid. Which is why he was sae surprised when saemebody did."

"Really?" Gobber questioned in surprise, "Who?"

"Corona," Aileene answered with a grin, "King Henri is a good man. They say he was th' anly ane tae treat King Fergus like an equal after he was crowned. When he heard aboot th' trouble here he sent a portion o' his army, commanded by his own brother, tae help. He sent them in secret, sae they ended up catchin' both sides by surprise when they arrived in th' middle of th' battle."

"Sae, they won?" Gobber guessed.

"They did," Aileene confirmed, "Men hae written songs aboot th' Coronian knights chargin' intae th' Vendal horde on th' backs o' their white chargers, th' sun glitterin' off their golden armor."

"'At is quite th' image," Gobber stated with a smile, "Whit happened next?"

"Taegether, we an' th' Coronians routed th' Vendal an' started pushin' them north. Eventually, we pushed them back enough tae meet up with Lord Dingwall's men an' th' survivors from th' other clans. With th' combined might o' all th' clans an' th' Coronian knights, they threw Mor'du right off th' island."

"Shame they didnae put an end tae him then an' there," Gobber said, "Wud hae saved a lot o' people a lot o' trouble."

"Probably," Aileene agreed with a nod, "But he got whit he deserved in th' end."

"'At he did, an' more," Gobber chuckled.

"Is it true 'at this Hiccup o' yers killed him?" Aileene inquired.

"He did," Gobber confirmed as he pointed at his eye, "Got th' bastard right in th' eye."

"Ah'll hae tae give him a kiss fer 'at if Ah ever meet him," Aileene replied with a pleased look on her face."

"Ah daenae think th' princess wud appreciate 'at," Gobber teased with a laugh.

"O-Oh," Aileene said, suddenly looking quite nervous, "Ah suppose Ah shudnae dae 'at then."

"Whit?" Gobber questioned, confused by Auleene's sudden change in demeanor before a thought clicked in his head, "Ye're nae scared o' her, are ye?"

"N-Nae!"Aileene replied quickly, nervously waving the accusation away, "Ah'm nae….Ahe nae scared o' her. Intimidated perhaps."

"Whitever fer?" Gobber asked curiously, "She's a sweet lass."

"Ah-Ah know she is, it's jist…." Aileene paused, taking a deep breath to recollect herself, "Ye look at her an' she's basically Boudica reborn. She's strong, willful, brave. Everythin' th' stories say a Highlander woman shud be like. Everythin' Ah'm nae."

"Trust me when Ah say 'at Ah'm sure th' queen wud hae prefered it if Princess Merida had been more like ye growin' up, milady," Maudie said with a chuckle as she leaned around Gobber again.

"Ah know, but Ah've always wanted tae be more like her," Aileene replied wistfully, "But Ah know Ah ne'er can be. Ah cannae even dream o' pickin' up a weapon an' Ah'm abysmal with horses."

"Why dae ye want tae be like her so bad anyway?" Gobber questioned as he took another sip of his drink.

"Ah daenae know," Aileene replied with an embarrassed shrug, glancing down the table as she twirled a lock of her hair, "Ah mean, saeme people like a lass like 'at, right?"

Following Aileene's gaze, Gobber saw Boyd at the other end of the table, staring absentmindedly at his dish, nodding his head as Adra spoke to him. Turning to Maudie, Gobber quirked an eyebrow at her, earning a shrug in reply. Turning back to Aileene, Gobber chewed his lip for a moment before an idea formed in his head.

"Ah suppose ye're right, ye daenae remind me o' Merida much," Gobber mused, "Ye know who ye dae remind me o'?"

"Who?" Aileene questioned curiously.

"Her mother?" Gobber answered.

"Really?" Aileene asked in surprise

"Indeed," Gobber stated with a nod, "Ye hae 'at same grace, 'at same elegance 'at she has. There's a strength in 'at too, ye know. A strength 'at people will notice."

"Ye think sae?" Aileene questioned hopefully.

"Ah dae, milady," Gobber replied with a smirk and a nod as he took a sip from his drink.

"Thank ye, Mr. Gobber," Aileene said with a smile.

"Daenae mention it," Gobber replied with a nod as Aileene turned back to her food.

"'At was well done," Maudie congragulated him quietly as she lay her hand on Gobber's arm to bring his attention to her.

"Ah hae ma moments," Gobber replied with a grin.

"Ah hope ye're enjoyin' yer time here," Maudie said with a smile.

"Ah am," Gobber answered, "It started oot a wee bit rocky but Ah think Ah'm gaein' tae enjoy a nice, quiet holiday here."

As Gobber spoke, the front door to the hall suddenly banged open, catching everyone's attention. A ragged young man stumbled in, his hair a mess and his eyes wide. By the look of his worn, muddy boots and his heaving chest, it seemed like he had run a long distance.

"Dragon!" the young man bellowed as he entered, his voice echoing off the stone walls as everyone else fell silent, "Dragon in th' Highlands!"

"The again…." Gobber muttered before downing the rest of his drink and standing up as others began to rush to the young man's side.

"Lord Macintosh!" the young man cried as people began to surround him, "Ah must speak with Lord Macintosh!"

"Ah'm here, lad," Macintosh said a she pushed his way through the crowd. Seeing him, the young man stumbled towards the lord and began to fall to the ground, forcing Macintosh and some of the men surrounding him to catch and steady him.

"M'lord," the young man said breathlessly, "A dragon, m'lord. A dragon in th' Highlands."

"Aye lad, but where?" Macintosh pressed, placing his hands on the young man's shoulders.

"Yorksdale, m'lord," the young man answered, "We hae men but they daenae….th' dragon."

"Ah understand, lad," Macintosh replied, "Dragons can be tricky business. Ye did good, we'll get ye looked after.

Pulling back, MAcintosh ordered his men to see the young man to a baed. As they led him away, Macintosh sighed and placed his hands on his hips as the other people gathered around him.

"Dragons in Yorksdale?" one person questioned.

"Whit if they come south?" another wondered.

"Whit are we tae dae?" a third worried.

"Ah'll tell ye whit we're gaein' tae dae," Macintosh said, bringing everyone's attention back to him, "Ah'm gaein' tae take a few good men an' we're gaein' tae gae protect our people."

"Ah daenae think 'at's th' best plan, Da," Will spoke up as he walked up behind his father, Andra and Boyd following behind him.

"Excuse me?" Lord Macintosh questioned as he turned towards his son and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"These men jist got back from riskin' thier lives," Will explained, "We cannae ask them tae turn around an' dae it again? Nae when we daenae hae tae."

"Whit dae ye suggest we dae then, son?" Lord Macintosh asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Me an' th' lads will gae," Will explained, pointing to the young men standing behind him.

"Jist th' three o' ye?" Macintosh questioned dubiously.

"It's like th' man said, they've got men up in Yorksdale," Will elaborated, "Whit they need are some folk who know a thin' or two about dragons."

"An' 'at'd be ye?" Macintosh asked, still not buying it.

"Ah didnae see ye flyin' on a dragon at th' Nest," Will argued with a smirk.

"Sae, whit?" Macintosh questioned, "Ye're gaein' tae tame this dragon?"

"Why nae?" Will questioned back, "From whit Ah've seen, 'at might be th' quickest solution. Fer all we know, this dragon is jist hungry and scared. Ah cud jist feed him a fish an' he'll be ma best friend fer life."

"Be 'at as it may, Ah cannae jist send th' three o' ye alone," Macintosh said with a sigh.

"Well, ye wonae hae tae worry about 'at," Gobber spoke up, the crowd parting to let him by as he stepped forward, "Because Ah'll be gaein' with them."

"Ah cannae ask ye tae dae 'at, Gobber," Macintosh stated with a shake of his head.

"Well, luckily fer ye, Ah'm volunteerin', sae ye daenae hae too," Gobber rebutted with a smile.

"Ye sure aboot this?" Macintosh questioned.

"Look, despite recent events, Ah can guarantee ye're nae gaein' tae find anyane around here who know more aboot dragons that Ah dae," Gobber answered.

"Yorksdale is close tae Dingwall lands too," Boyd suddenly spoke up, "Ah'm sure they cud spare some men tae help."

"Alright," Macintosh relented with a sigh, "Ah'll leave it up tae ye lot. Ah'll send a bird up north an' you four will leave at first light."

"First light," Will agreed with a nod before turning back towards Boyd and Andra, "Alright lads, lets finish our meals an' get some sleep. We've got a big day ahead o' us tomorrow."

"'At gaes double fer ye, auld man," Will continued, grinning as he pointed at Gobber, who merely rolled his eyes and began making his way back to his seat. As he walked, he found Aileene waiting for him.

"Are ye gaein' tae take good care o' ma brother, Mr. Gobber?" she questioned.

"Ah'm gaein' tae dae ma best, milady," Gobber replied with a smile, "With any luck, it will be ane o' th' good dragons an' yer brother will come back ridin' it."

"Ah thought ye werenae any good at training' dragons," Aileen pointed out.

"Ah said Ah haenae tried ma hand at it yet," Gobber argued, "This auld dog still might be able tae learn a new way o' daein' thin's."

"But whit if this new way daesnae work?" Aileene pressed, worriedly, "Whit if it's nae a good dragon?"

"Then we dae thin's th' auld way," Gobber stated, his face falling into a serious, almost dangerous, expression, "An' Ah am very good at th' auld way."

A/N: Lot's of info and character development in this one plus we get to kick off the main storyline. Hope you guys liked it! As always, feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!


	4. Open Road

**Chapter 4: The Open Road**

The first rays of dawn reached Macintosh castle, only to find the grounds already abuzz with activity. Servants and workers ran this way and that, preparing the travelers for their imminent departure. Food was being packed and horses were being watered and brushed and at the center of it all stood Gobber with a bewildered look on his face.

"Gobber!" he heard a voice call, bringing his attention to the stables, "Over here!"

Following the sound of the voice, Gobber made his way over to the stables were the three young lords were waiting as grooms prepared their horses.

"Ye ready tae shove off on our next great adventure?" Will questioned as Gobber reached them, flashing a smile at the older man.

"As ready as Ah'll ever be," Gobber replied with a chuckle.

"It's a bit o' a trip, sae we'll be ridin'," Will explained, "Ah'll hae th' grooms grab ye a horse. Ane o' th' bigger anes."

"There might be a slight problem with 'at," Gobber commented with a hint of concern.

"Whit's sort o' problem is 'at?" Will questioned in confusion.

"Well, as ye know, Ah come from a rather small, forested an' rocky island," Gobber elaborated, "Are ye beginnin' tae see th' problem?"

"Ye daenae know how tae ride a horse," Will realized with a sigh, running his hand over his spoke, "Ye've ne'er had tae."

"Sae, now whit dae we dae?" Boyd questioned as a groom brought out a fourth horse, a large Clydesdale, and led it over to the group, "Ye're father gave us equipment an' supplies tae help th' village. Naene o' us hae th' room tae carry him."

"Well, 'at's a simple solution, m'lord," Maudie said as she walked up, a travel sack slung over her shoulder, "Ye find saemeane who can ride fer him."

"Maudie?" Gobber asked in confusion, "Whit are ye daein'?"

"Ah think 'at's rather obvious, isnae it?" Maudie replied as she began securing the travel sack to the horse's saddle.

"Maudie, there's nae way ye're comin' with us," Gobber stated.

"Oh?" Maudie challenged, quirking an eyebrow at Gobber, "An' why's 'at?"

"We're gaein' tae fight a dragon, Maudie," Gobber explained, "Ye're not trained fer this sort o' thin'."

"An' they are?" Maudie questioned, eyeing the three lordlings.

"Nae, but they are trained fighters with experience in battle," Gobber argued, "'At's saemethin' ye daenae hae."

"Well, 'at may be true, but Ah can dae saemethin' 'at ye cannae," Maudie replied defiantly.

"Oh?" Gobber questioned, "An' whit wud 'at be?"

"Ah can ride a bloody horse," Maudie answered as she pulled herself up onto the back of animal in question, "Now, wud ye like tae come along or are ye gaein' tae walk?"

"Maudie…." Gobber started to say.

"This is because Ah'm a woman, isnae it?" Maudie questioned pointedly.

"Whit?" Gobber questioned incredulously, "O' course it's nae because ye're a woman. Hae ye seen th' women on Berk? Ah know at least a half-dozen who cud rip me in half."

"Whit is it then?" Maudie demanded.

"Ah'm worried aboot ye, Maudie," Gobber explained with a sigh, "Despite everythin' 'at has happened an' everythin' we've come tae know, dragons, especially wild anes, are still extremely dangerous. If ye come with us, ye cud get hurt. Or worse."

"Gobber…." Maudie began to say, her anger leaving her as she looked at the worry on the blacksmith's face.

"It's nae 'at Ah daenae trust ye or daenae think ye can handle yerself or anythin' like 'at, Maudie," Gobber explained as he averted his eyes, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Ah jist daenae want tae see ye get hurt."

Maudie smiled sympathetically at Gobber.

"'at's very sweet o' ye, Gobber," Maudie said, "But th' fact o' th' matter is Ah daenae want tae see ye get hurt either. Sae, if there is anythin' Ah can dae tae help ye with all o' this, then Ah'm daein' it, whether ye like it or nae."

Gobber looked at Maudie for a moment in frustration before turning to the three young lords for assistance.

"Ah daenae know whit tae tell ye, Gob," Will said with a helpless shrug, "We need ye on a horse an' she's willin' tae carry ye. She's got us beat."

Sighing, Gobber turned back to Maudie, who looked down at him with a triumphant smile.

"Ah guess saeme o' th' princess rubbed off on ye, huh?" Gobber ventured, giving Maudie a reluctant smile.

"Ah'd like tae think sae," Maudie replied as she offered Gobber her hand, "Now, come on, Clydesdales can be tricky tae mount, especially yer first time."

Nodding, Gobber took the offered hand with his good one while hooking his other arm around the horse's back. Both Maudie and Gobber grunted as they pulled him up, ending with Gobber laying across the horse's back on his stomach. After kicking his legs a few times, Gobber managed to pull himself up into a seated position on the horse's back. Glancing around, he noticed the three lordlings snickering at him after having mounted their own horses.

"Alright," he grumbled as he settled into his position, "Now whit?"

"Now, ye shud grab hold o' saemethin'," Maudie answered, looking over her shoulder at Gobber.

Glancing around, Gobber quickly realized he had nothing to truly hang on to except for Maudie herself.

"Um…" Gobber mumbled, flexing his fingers nervously.

"Come on, Gobber, jist grab ma waist," Maudie said, giving the Viking a suggestive look from over her shoulder, causing him to blush slightly. As the three lordlings snickered some more at his expense, a determined look crossed Gobber's face before he reached out and wrapped his arms around Maudie's waste, causing her to jump slightly.

"Alright," Gobber spoke up, ignoring the flushing of his face, "Ah'm ready."

Maudie merely nodded, her face red as well, before she clicked her heels into the horse's sides, prompting it to start trotting forward, the three lordlings following suit.

"Good luck, lads!" Lord Macintosh called as he stood by the gate, which was slowly opening to allow them to pass.

"Come back safe!" Aileene pleaded from her position next to her father.

"We will," Boyd said as he rode past, causing Aileene to blush and avert her eyes.

"Daenae worry," Will added as the group rode out of the gate, "We'll be back afore ye know it!"

With that, the group exited the castle and began making their way down the road back into the village. Once they had reached the village center, they vered down another road that led them away from the village once more and towards the open fields of the country. As the village began to fade away behind them, the four horses and their riders fell into a comfortable pace, making their way down the road that wound over the hills and past empty fields, the harvest already collected for the coming winter.

As they continued, Will fell back and started riding alongside Maudie and Gobber as Boyd and Andra trotted ahead.

"Sae, how's yer first horse ride gaein', Gobber?" Will questioned with an amused grin.

"Fine, sae far," Gobber replied, "Ah haenae fallen off yet at least."

"Well, 'at is a fine start," Will said with a laugh, "Though it seems like ye've found a good place tae hold on tae."

Both Maudie and Gobber flushed with embarrassment, causing Will to chortle some more. Gobber glared at the young man for a moment before a thought came to him.

"Sae, Ah was able tae talk tae yer sister a bit afore we left," Gobber said as they rode along.

"Whit o' it?" Will questioned, arching an eyebrow at Gobber.

"Naethin', we jist chatted aboot this an' 'at," Gobber replied with a shrug, "Ah learned saeme thin's aboot her. Includin' saeme 'at went unsaid."

Pausing, Gobber smirked as he looked over at Boyd as the lordling rode in front of them, prompting Will to follow his gaze. Upon realizing what Gobber was referring to, Will let out a sigh as he rolled his eyes and shook his head, causing Gobber to chuckle.

"Ah daenae want tae talk aboot 'at," Will sighed, "Boyd is ane o' ma best friends an' Ah can honestly say Ah hae nae idea whit ma sister sees in him."

"These thin's very rarely make sense," Maudie commented, "Th' heart wants whit th' heart wants, after all."

"Ah suppose sae," Will agreed with a shrug, "Even sae, it makes me a little sick saemetimes, watchin' her blush an' giggle at him like 'at. She's ma baby sister, after all, an' he daesnae even seem tae notice."

"Ah daenae think Boyd notices much o' anythin'," Gobber commented.

"Saemetimes," Maudie added, "Other times, he's incredibly perceptive."

"Ah suppose, but Ah still daenae see th' attraction," Will stated with a shake of his head.

"Aye," Gobber agreed, before his grin grew larger, "Speakin' o' attractions…."

"Whit o' them?" Will asked dubiously.

"Ye seemed tae be pretty chummy with Ruffnut back on Berk," Gobber commented.

"Sae?" Will questioned, his defiant attitude at odds with the rosy tint of his cheeks.

"Ye fancy her, daenae ye?" Gobber asked pointedly.

Will sputtered in response as his face turned redder, earning a chortle from Gobber and a suppressed giggle from Maudie.

"Ye enjoy havin' a laugh at ma expense, eh Gob?" Will questioned, half smirking, half frowning as he recollected himself.

"Ah cud say th' same thin' aboot ye, m'lord," Gobber replied, "An' Ah I cannae help but notice ye haenae answered ma question."

"Ah mean, Ah daenae know her all 'at well," Will replied, "We anly got tae talk a little afore an' after th' battle at th' Nest. She's certainly attractive though. Ah'm surprised none o' th' lads on Berk hae scooped her up yet."

"Ah think Ruff might be a little….intense fer saeme people's tastes," Gobber said delicately.

"Aye, 'at's puttin' it lightly," Will agreed with a snort, "'At's ane o' th' thin's Ah like aboot her though. It sets her apart from all th' other girls Ah've known."

"How sae?" Gobber inquired.

"Most girls 'at Ah know around here are th' sort ma sister is," Will explained, "Demure an' quiet. Girls who'll blush if ye sae much as wink at them an' who daenae know which part o' a sword is th' business end. Ruff isnae anythin' like 'at. She's loud, brash, assertive an' there's a chance she cud kick ma arse if it ever came down tae it."

"Sounds like ye admire a lot o' traits she shares with Merida," Gobber pointed out.

"Aye, but Ruff has th' advantage o' nae basically bein' ma sister," Will argued with a scoff, before electing to explain after seeing Gobber's confused reaction, "Ah've known Merida fer literally ma entire life, ma mind wudnae let me see her like 'at even if Ah wanted tae. Daenae get me wrong, she's a great lass an' Ah can understand she's attractive on a conceptual level, but th' idea o' being with her feels….unnatural tae me."

"Ah take it all ye lads feel 'at way aboot her," Gobber said with a chuckle as he glanced at the other two lordlings riding ahead of them.

"Well….nae quite," Will replied awkwardly.

"Whit dae ye mean?" Gobber inquired.

"Well, Boyd certainly feels th' same way aboot Merida as Ah dae," Will elaborated, "In fact, Ah daenae think Ah've ever seen him show any interest in any girl. Andra, on the other hand…."

"Andra fancies th' princess?" Gobber questioned in surprise.

"Aye, or at least, he did," Will replied, doing his best to keep his voice low as he shot a glance at the young lord in question, "Andra used tae hae it bad fer Merida, though Ah'm nae sure she ever noticed. Boyd an' Ah did, o' course, but we didnae see th' harm in it. Ah mean it seemed tae us like they were probably gaein' tae end up taegether anyway."

"Why's 'at?" Gobber asked.

"Well, as Ah said, unlike Boyd an' Ah, Andra actually fancied Merida," Will explained, "In addition, also unlike us, Andra has a younger brother, sae 'at if he did marry Merida, there wud be saemeane tae take over as th' head o' th' MacGuffin clan. It seemed like a sure thin'."

"Until her parents decided tae hae her marry Hiccup instead," Gobber stated.

"Exactly," Will agreed with a nod, "Let's just say 'at Merida wasnae th' anly ane who took th' news hard."

"Daes he…." Gobber began to say uneasily.

"Resent Hiccup?" Will finished, "He did at th' beginnin', though we all did. He's definitely warmed up tae Hiccup though. He's a good lad an' at th' end o' th' day, Andra just wants Merida tae be happy."

"He deserves tae be happy as well," Maudie pointed out.

"O' course," Will agreed, "Daenae worry though, we'll find Andra a lady, just ye wait."

Gobber chuckled at that but said nothing as they continued to ride along. As Gobber watched the Highlander countryside roll by, a smile pulled at his face.

"Beautiful, isnae it?" Maudie commented as she glanced back at Gobber.

"Aye, it is," Gobber agreed with a nod, "Ma mother used tae tell me stories aboot th' Highlands an' whit they looked like. Even then, Ah daenae think Ah ever imagined 'at it'd look like this."

Maudie smiled at Gobber before following his gaze as she observed the countryside that surrounded them. As she did, she noticed something moving across the countryside.

"Hey!" Maudie called, catching the others' attentions while pointing at what she saw, "Whit's 'at!?"

Following her indication, the others looked at the thing moving across the countryside.

"Looks like saeme riders," Will stated, squinting his eyes to try and get a better look.

"Looks like they're comin' this way," Gobber added as the riders clearly began moving in their direction.

"Oh hey," Boyd spoke up as the riders drew closer, "'At's ma clan's flag."

Sure enough, as the riders drew closer, Gobber could see one of them was holding a flag that depicted what the blacksmith had come to recognize as the symbol of Clan Dingwall.

A few moments later, the riders reached them and brought their horses to a stop, the cloud of dust that was traveling in their wake washing over Gobber and the others, blinding them for a few moments. As the cloud began to clear, Gobber was first able to make out the shape of a hulking figure astride an equally large horse. As the cloud fully dissipated, Gobber was able to fully see the sort of man that had joined them.

The man was massive, taller than Gobber, making him of a height with King Fergus and Stoick the Vast. He was shirtless despite the cool weather, displaying his rippling muscles, broad shoulders, barrel chest and tanned skin. The only clothes he wore was the green and brown kilt around his waist and the heavy leather boots on his feet. A pair of swords were strapped to his back and his flesh was crisscrossed with multiple scars. He had long, black hair that he wore loose, a handsome, shaved face and brown eyes that he used to look down at the others.

The man was accompanied by a half-dozen other, albeit smaller, men. Each man was dressed in similarly colored tartan robes and one carried the flag depicting the symbol of Clan Dingwall.

As his horse pulled to a stop, the massive man quickly slipped over his horse and took a knee on the ground before them, the other men following suite.

"Ma lord," the massive man said, his voice deep and rumbling, "Yer lord father received word o' yer quest from Lord Macintosh an' sent us tae aide ye."

There was silence as the man's words faded. After a moment the man glanced up while keeping his head bowed, his eyes falling on Boyd.

"Oh," Boyd said suddenly as he blinked in surprise, "Ye're talkin' tae me."

Will slapped a hand to his face while the Dingwall men grumbled amongst themselves. Gobber even noted the big man letting out a small sigh of exasperation.

"Regardless o'….well, Boyd, it's good tae hae ye lads," Will spoke up, smirking as he eyed the big man, "Especially ye. Whit's yer name, Tiny?"

"Duncan, ma lord," the big man said, smirking slightly as he rose back to his feet.

"Well met, Duncan," Will greeted with a nod, "Ah'm Will, an' th' large ane over there is Andra."

"Ah am familiar with ye both by sight an' by reputation," Duncan replied, nodding to the two lordlings in turn.

"Ane o' th' many advantages tae nobility," Will said as he flashed Gobber and Maudie a grin, "Even total strangers know who ye are."

"Ah dae admit though 'at Ah am…." Duncan trailed off as he glanced between Maudie and Gobber, "Unfamiliar with yer compatriots."

"Right, that's rude of me," Will replied before motioning towards the two adults sharing a horse, "This is Maudie O'Dunbroch an' Gobber O'Macintosh."

"He is….ane o' yer clansmen, ma lord?" Duncan questioned as he eyed Gobber warily, putting the Viking on edge.

"He is," Will replied, noting the look as well, "A long lost cousin, in fact."

"Yer cousin is a Vikin', my lord," Duncan stated plainly.

"Aye, that's very observant of you," Gobber said, his voice cheerful and dripping with sarcasm.

"It is….a long story," Will explained, "We brought him along because o' his expertise in dragon fighting."

"Well then, Ah'm sure his….expertise will be most welcome," Duncan stated, pausing as he gave Gobber a contemptuous look before his gaze turned towards Maudie, "But tell me, fair lady, whit brings ye here and why dae ye lead this man's horse fer him?"

"Oh," Maudie replied, her face flushing as she glanced away from Duncan, "Well, ye see….th' thin' is…."

"Oh, 'at's because Gobber canae ride a horse," Boyd explained with a small chuckle, causing Will to let out a long suffering sigh.

"Is 'at sae?" Duncan questioned, quirking an eyebrow at Gobber as he spoke, "A tough Vikin' like ye needs a sweet woman like this tae ride yer horse fer ye?"

"We daenae hae much call fer horses back on Berk," Gobber explained as he narrowed his eyes at Duncan.

"An' Ah daenae care tae hae ye speak tae me in such a manner, sir," Maudie added, her expression turning cross even as her cheeks continued to flush, "Ah am nae saeme porcelain doll 'at will break at th' slightest touch."

"Ma apologies, ma fair lady," Duncan apologized while flashing a charming grin at Maudie, "Ah shud hae known 'at a woman o' th' Highlands like yerself wud be made from stronger stuff."

Maudie blush deepened at the comment while Gobber glanced between her and Duncan.

"Anyway," Will spoke up, bringing everyone's attention back to him, "Ah think 'at's enough small talk. We need tae get movin' if we want tae reach th' village by nightfall."

"O' course, ma lord," Duncan replied as he turned back to his horse and remounted it, prompting the other men to do the same, "Ah will lead th' way fer us. It's nae far from here."

Will nodded and Duncan and his men quickly wheeled their horses around and began riding back down the road, prompting the others to follow.

"Well, he's quite th' character, isnae he?" Gobber questioned with a nervous chuckle.

"He's….He's certainly charmin'," Maudie replied, not looking at Gobber as she spoke in order to hide her flushing cheeks.

"Aye," Gobber agreed, leaning backwards so that Maudie could not see his hurt expression, "'At he is."

A/N: And another long over do update. Hope you guys liked this one as well! As always, feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!


	5. Welcome Party

**Chapter 5: Welcome Party**

The rest of the trip was largely conducted in silence, the only sound coming from the group produced by the heaving lungs and pounding feet of their horses, which created a large cloud of dust that followed in their wake. Eventually, just as the sun was starting to sink below the horizon, farmsteads began appearing along the side of the road and, soon enough, a small village came into view.

As they approached, Gobber could make out a few details of the village of Yorksdale. From what he could tell, it seemed to be what he imagined a normal village would look like. Near the center of the village, he could make out what looked like a church, its tall steeple rising above the surrounding buildings. Additionally, Gobber could also make out a large building sitting near what he assumed was the village square, leading him to guess it was an inn of some sort. Finally, Gobber noticed thick, black smoke rising from the chimney of one of the buildings, leading him to conclude it was the local smithy, a pang of longing entering his heart as he looked at it.

As the group drew closer to Yorksdale, Gobber could make out people emerging from their homes in order to get a better look at the approaching group. As they entered the village, the people began to gather in the village square where the group was heading. While they rode, Gobber noticed many gazes falling on him as he went past and spotted a few of the villagers talking amongst themselves and pointing at him.

Soon enough, the group reached the village square, pulling their horses to a stop as what seemed like the entire village came out to greet them.

"It's Lord Macintosh's son!" one of the villagers declares.

"Lord Dingwall an' MacGuffin's sons tae!" another observes.

"They've come tae slay th' dragon!" a third cheered as a cry of joy suddenly swelled up from the crowd. Will smiled at the reaction as he dismounted his horse.

"Yes, yes," Will stated, motioning with his for the crowd to calm down in order to hear him, "Ma lord father heard o' yer plight an' sent us here with these good men in order tae dispatch this dragon."

The crowd let out another loud cheer as the rest of the warriors dismounted from their horses. The villagers quickly fell silent though as Gobber let out a cry of surprise while dismounting his horse before he fell to the ground and landed on his rear. Groaning and rubbing his back, Gobber glanced around at the crowd, only to find that all eyes had fallen on him.

"Ah'm fine!" Gobber declared, annoyance in his voice as Maudie hurried over to him and helped him stand back up, "Naebody panic!"

"Whit's a bloody Viking daein' here!?" a voice from the crowd demanded, affirmed by the angry shouts and nods from the crowd.

"Good people, please," Will said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture while walking over Gobber's side as the Viking stood back up, "As ye all well know, we hae formed an alliance with th' Viking tribe o' Berk, who are world renowned fer bein' dragonslayers. Not anly 'at, but this man, Gobber th' Belch, is a member o' our clan through his mother. He is ane o' us, an' Ah expect him tae be treated as such."

Nobody in the crowd argued with Will, but Gobber noticed a few of the villagers shooting glares at him and muttering to one another.

"Now, who's in charge here?" Will questioned as he glanced around at the crowd.

"'At wud be, ma lord," a voice rose up out of the crowd as a man pushed his way to the front. He was a short, pot-bellied man with balding brown hair and runny brown eyes. He was dressed in fine-looking clothing, though they appeared to have been tailored for a man a size smaller.

"Ah am Malcolm, my lord," the man explained as he gave Will a deep bow, "Th' duly appointed mayor o' this fine village."

"It's good tae meet ye, Malcolm," Will replied with a nod of his head, "Perhaps there is saeme place where we can better talk aboot 'at's been happenin' here?"

"O' course, mae lord," Malcolm replied before indicating to the large building that Gobber had previously identified as an inn, "Th' inn has a room 'at is ideal fer a private conversation such as this an' has plenty o' spare beds fer ye an' yer men. We also hae a stable where ye can keep yer horses. Ah'll hae saeme o' th' grooms come round an' brin' them there fer ye."

"Thank ye, Malcolm," Will stated with a nod as a few men stepped away from the crowd to take the reins of the group's horses and lead them away. At the same time, Malcolm turned and began leading the group into the inn.

The door inside led to a large open room with a bar against one wall and a dozen tables scattered about. Malcolm led the group through the main area towards the back of the room where there was a door that he opened and ushered them through.

The room beyond was a smaller one, occupied mainly by a single, square table with a number of chairs set up around it while a fireplace occupied one of the walls. As the group filed into the room, Malcolm took a seat at the table, as did the three young lords. The rest of the group, including Gobber, opted to stand, spreading out so they circled the room.

"Alright, Malcolm," Will said after he had settled into his chair, "We were able tae get saeme information from th' messenger ye sent, but we were hopin' ye cud give us th' full story."

"O' course, ma lord," Malcolm agreed with a nod, "It all started a few weeks ago. Saeme o' th' shepherds first reported missin' sheep an' ane man spotted saemethin' large movin' through th' woods tae th' south o' here. Nae ane payed it any mind though. Sheep are always gaein' missin' and people hae been tellin' stories o' thin's lurkin' in th' woods fer generations."

"Sae, whit changed?" Will questioned.

"Aboot a week ago, ane o' th' villager's farm was burnt tae th' ground," Malcolm explained, his expression turning grim, "He said he thought he heard saemethin' movin' aboot in his fields an' when he went tae investigate, a dragon descended on his property, spewin' fire in every direction, setting th' whole property ablaze. Th' farmer an' his family were lucky tae escape with their lives."

A rumble of worry went through the group as the men shot nervous glances at one another.

"Whit happened next?" Will questioned.

"After th' farmer an' his family had escaped from th' attack on their house, we rounded up saeme men tae gae after th' dragon," Malcolm explained.

"How did 'at gae?" Will asked hesitantly.

"Th' men were routed," Malcolm answered, a worried expression on his face, "Nae ane was killed, though a number o' men were scarred an' maimed. We were most fortunate."

"Can ye give us any more information aboot th' dragon?" Will asked.

"Ah cannae," Malcolm replied with a shake of his head, "But ane o' th' men who was there possibly cud."

As Malcolm spoke, a knock came from the door before it opened and a man poked his head into the room.

"Ye called fer me, sir?" the man questioned, looking at Malcolm as he spoke.

"Yes, Balfour," Malcolm replied as he waved the man forward, "Please, come in."

At Malcolm's behest, the man, Balfour, stepped into the room, allowing everyone else to get a better look at him. He was a brawny man, with broad shoulders and muscular arms. He was on the short side, his completely bald head level with Gobber's shoulder. A bushy black beard covered most of his face and he observed the room with beady eyes beneath a pair of thick eyebrows. Gobber also noted that one of his arms was scarred by an angry looking burn.

"Good evenin', m'lords," Balfour stated as he gave the lordlings a quick bow, "Th' mayor summoned me here tae speak with ye."

"Ah take it ye were ane o' th' men who went tae face th' dragon," Will observed, "Whit can ye tell us aboot it?"

"It was a terrible beast, m'lord," Balfour explained, "Seemed almost as big as a barn, if nae bigger. Belched fire like a furnace an' had a wingspan at least as large as this room."

"Is there anythin' else ye can tell us?" Will inquired.

"Nae much, m'lord," Balfour answered with a shake of his head, "It was a dark, moonless night an' we were all busy fightin' fer our lives."

"Great," Gobber sighed as he rubbed his eyes with his good hand.

"Dae ye hae saemethin' tae say, Vikin'?" Balfour questioned, narrowing his eyes as he turned his attention towards Gobber.

"Uh, whit?" Gobber questioned in confusion, before glancing around in surprise as he noticed that the eyes of everyone in the room had fallen on him, "Oh, uh, naethin'. Was just thinkin' out loud."

"Come now, Gobber," Duncan spoke up, smiling at Gobber from the other side of the room, "Ye come from a mighty tribe o' dragon slayers, dae ye nae? Lend us some o' yer wisdom."

Gobber glanced around at the room full of people looking at him, including Maudie and the three lordlings who had nervous expressions on their faces.

"Ah was just….'at information daesnae help us at all," Gobber explained, turning his attention back to Balfour.

"Why nae?" Balfour questioned dangerously.

"Because, dae ye know how many dragons are big an' breathe fire?" Gobber questioned rhetorically, "A lot o' them. An' each ane o' them acts differently an' has different weakness than th' others."

"Whit dae ye know?" Balfour demanded as he eyed Gobber dangerously.

"Ah know 'cause Ah've lived ma whole life dealin' with these thin's," Gobber growled as he turned to face Balfour, glaring down at the shorter man, "Ah know because Ah've trained others tae fight these thin's, an' Ah'd wager they wud hae faired a bit better than ye lot did."

"Gobber!" Maudie hissed, her tone frightened. Looking away from Balfour, Gobber glanced back around the room, noticing that some of the gathered men were glaring at him. Blinking in surprise, Gobber took a deep breath while he collected his thoughts.

"Whit Ah'm tryin' tae say is 'at these thin's are more complicated than ye might think," Gobber explained, "Ah'm gaein' tae need more information if Ah'm gaein' tae help ye all fight this dragon."

"Who said we wanted yer help?" Balfour asked, a testy edge still in his voice, "We asked fer th' lord's help, nae yers."

"An' he sent me," Gobber answered, his eyes narrowing.

"Why are ye even here?" Balfour questioned, "Ye get captured while pillagin' our land?"

"Ma mother was a Highlander," Gobber replied, his voice dropping low with anger, "Ah came here sae Ah cud see her homeland."

"Just because it was her homeland daesnae make it yers, ye Viking mongrel," Balfour spat.

Gobber's nostrils flared angrily at the comment and he clenched his good hand into a fist so tight his knuckles began to crack and pop.

"'At's enough!" Will snapped, his voice commanding respect despite his size and youth compared to the two men, "We're here tae fight a dragon, nae each other."

Will's words seemed to quell the hostility between Gobber and Balfour for a moment as the two men backed off from one another.

"Now, Ah know there are saeme….differences between all o' us here," Will stated, addressing the room as he spoke, "Ah've had tae get used tae them as well. But whit everyane has tae understand is 'at we're all on th' same side now. We're all here tae protect this village from th' dragon, sae Ah daenae want any bickerin'."

Will paused as his gaze fell on Gobber.

"From any o' ye," he added.

Gobber looked away from Will, embarrassment filling his heart and coloring his cheeks. As he did, he noticed Duncan watching him, a small smile crossing the man's features. Gobber shot the man a quick glare before turning away from him as well.

"Th' truth though is 'at Gobber is right," Will continued, "We need more information aboot this dragon if we're gaein' tae dae anythin' aboot it. Sae, tomorrow mornin', we'll get a small group taegether an' see if we cannae track this dragon down."

A wave of agreement went through the room.

"Then let's get everyane settled in sae we can be all rested up come tomorrow," Will stated as he rose from his seat, prompting the others to do the same before they began filing out of the room. As they did, Maudie reached out and touched Gobber on the arm to get the man's attention. Gobber paused and looked back at Maudie in confusion, noticing the woman giving him a silent request to stay behind.

After everyone had filtered out of the room, Maudie let out a small sigh.

"Ah reckon 'at was nae yer best performance," Maudie commented as she looked up at Gobber with a quirked eyebrow.

"Aye," Gobber replied with a sigh, "It wasnae."

"Ye cannae let them bait ye like 'at," Maudie explained as she crossed her arms over her chest, "They've already figured out 'at ye're here under th' grace o' th' lord an', because o' 'at, they cannae dae anythin' tae ye withoot facin' repercussions. But if they can make ye dae saemethin', well…."

"Then all bets are off," Gobber finished with a sigh, "Sae Ah best be on ma best behavior."

Maudie's expression turned sad as she reached out a hand and laid it on Gobber's arm.

"Ah cannae imagine how hard all o' this must be fer ye," Maudie said sympathetically as she gave his arm a squeeze, "Ye've waited sae long tae come home an', after all 'at time, tae hae them treat ye like 'at."

"Well, Ah cannae say it's unfamiliar," Gobber said with a sigh while giving Maudie a small smile which she sadly returned, "Maybe Ah need a walk. Tae clear ma head, ye know?"

"Ah think 'at's a marvelous idea," Maudie agreed with a nod of her head, "Daenae gae gettin' lost now."

"Nae withoot ye, o' course," Gobber replied with a wicked grin that caused Maudie to blush and swat him lightly on the arm before she giggled and left. Gobber grinned as he watched her walk away before sighing.

A few moments later, Gobber exited the building, taking a deep breath of the cool, autumn evening air. Tilting his head back, he looked up at the sky, night having fallen during the meeting and the stars twinkled in the black sky above. The same stars he was used to seeing hanging over Berk.

"Ah suppose saeme thin's are th' same everywhere," Gobber commented to himself before he began walking down the road that ran through the center of town.

The village was a small one, consisting of a few shops and trade buildings along with some modest houses. Almost all of the shops had been closed up for the night as light filtered out of the windows of the houses, the smoke trailing from their chimneys marking the presence of their owners. One smoke trail in particular caught Gobber's attention.

Walking a short ways down the road, Gobber came upon the building that he had assumed earlier was the village smithy, the assertion supported by the myriad of iron tools hanging from the walls of the open building and the rhythmic beat of a hammer striking hot metal.

Curiosity and the yearning for something familiar getting the better of him, Gobber ambled over towards the smithy.

"Uh, hello!?" Gobber called out as he stepped inside and glanced around for any other sign of life, "Ah was jist walkin' by an' saw yer fire was still burnin' sae Ah thought Ah'd stick ma head in an' say hello."

Gobber received no answer and the beating of the hammer continued unabated. Figuring that the smith couldn't hear him over the sound of their work, Gobber shrugged his shoulders and ventured deeper into the smithy, following the sound of the hammer blows and the glow of the furnace.

Rounding a corner, Gobber found himself standing in the main work area of the smithy, illuminated by the dull red glow of the furnace occupying one of the corners. Next to the furnace sat a black iron anvil at which a man was working. The smith was a tall man, easily the same height as Gobber himself though with a more muscular build and coppery red hair that was cut short. He was shirtless, his back glistening with sweat, which caused the crisscrossing pattern of scars that ran up and down his back stand out against his pale skin.

"Excuse me," Gobber said politely, "Ah was wonderin' if…."

Gobber's words trailed off as he realised that the smith still hadn't heard him.

"Um, hello!?" Gobber said awkwardly, raising his voice in an effort to be heard, "Excuse me!"

The smith continued his work, unabated.

"Oi!" Gobber snapped, growing frustrated as he walked up behind the smith and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Ah'm talkin' tae-"

Gobber's words were cut off as the smith let out a high-pitched scream of surprise as he spun to face the Viking, his smith's hammer raised above his head to strike. It was then that Gobber noticed that the smith was not a man, but a boy. A large boy of roughly sixteen years, but a boy all the same, his bright, green eyes wide with fear.

"Easy, lad! Easy!" Gobber shouted as he held up his good hand in an effort to stop the smith, "Watch where ye're swingin' 'at thin'!"

"S-Sorry!" the smith quickly replied as he lowered his hand, his breath coming in excited gasps while his eyes were as wide as a spooked horse's, "Sorry, y-yer jist startled me, is all."

"Aye, Ah can see 'at," Gobber stated with a cautious expression, "Didnae ye hear me come in?"

"Naw," the smith answered with a shake of his head as his gaze dropped, "Oi….Whaen Oi'm workin' oi tend ter git very focused. Me master says 'tis gonna earn me a knife in de back someday."

"It jist might," Gobber agreed with a chuckle, "But nae from me, lad."

The smith smirked at the comment before his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Oi….Oi don't tink Oi've ever met yer before, sir," the smith stated as he gave Gobber a quick look over.

"Ah daenae suppose ye hae, since Ah jist got tae town this evenin'," Gobber replied with a smirk as he extended his good hand to the smith, "Gobber th' Belch."

"Sheamus, sir," the smith replied as he grasped Gobber's hand with own hard, calloused one, "Jist Shamus."

"Pleasure tae meet ye, Sheamus," Gobber stated as he shook the smith's hand, "'At's an interestin' accent ye've got there. Where ye from?"

"De Emerald Isle," Sheamus answered.

"Is 'at sae?" Gobber questioned amicably, "Ah hear it's a lovely place."

"Oi wouldn't know," Sheamus replied with a shrug and a somewhat dour expression, "Oi 'enny been dare since Oi wus a babe."

There was an awkward pause as Sheamus looked Gobber up and down again.

"Are ye a….a Vikin', sir?" Sheamus questioned.

"Er, Ah suppose Ah am," Gobber chuckled, "Half, on my father's side."

"Didn't nu yer cud be half-Vikin'," Sheamus replied.

"Well, ye learn saemethin' new everyday," Gobber stated as he glanced around the smithy, "Open late, aren't ye?"

"Me master wanted me ter git sum thin's finished before Oi cud go ter bed," Sheamus explained.

"Figured ye were a wee bit young tae own yer own smithy," Gobber commented, "Where is yer master?"

"At this hour, 'tis likely Master Balfour is in de tavern," Sheamus answered.

"Balfour?" Gobber questioned in surprise.

"You've met 'im?" Sheamus asked in reply.

"Ah've had th' pleasure," Gobber answered sarcastically.

"Aye, dat sounds about roi," Sheamus stated with a small smile before he looked at Gobber with a puzzled expression, "Yer seem rather interested in all dis. Ye a smith?"

"'At Ah am," Gobber confirmed as he glanced around the room again, "Ah might be on holiday, but Ah can never fully pull maself away from ma work. Speakin' o' which, whit dae ye hae tae finish?"

"Oi nade ter 'ammer out a few nails an' create sum 'orseshoes," Sheamus answered with a sigh as he placed his hands on his hips and glanced around as well, "Plus, Oi nade ter repair a sword dat wus crocked durin' dat scrap wi' de dragon."

Sheamus paused as he looked back at Gobber.

"Ye 'ere ter 'elp wi' dat?" Sheamus questioned, "I've 'eard dat Vikin's scrap wi' dragons more than anyone else."

"Aye, it's why Ah came here," Gobber confirmed with a nod as he looked around again, "But, fer now, Ah think ma work is here."

"Excuse me?" Sheamus asked as he quirked an eyebrow at Gobber.

"All 'at work yer master left ye? Ye'll be at it fer hours if Ah let ye dae it by yerself," Gobber explained, "Sae, Ah'm gaein' tae help ye oot."

"Oi-Oi don't know, sir," Sheamus answered nervously, "If me master comes back an' finds yer 'elping me…."

"If whit ye're tellin' me is true, then yer master is already deep in his cups," Gobber argued, "He wonae be botherin' us any time soon, if he makes it home tonight at all."

"Oi still don't know, sir," Sheamus replied hesitantly, "Oi only jist met ye. How do I really know ye know anythin' about blacksmithin'?"

"Ah'm willin' tae bet 'at Ah've forgotten more aboot blacksmithin' than yer sae called master knows," Gobber argued as he picked up a sword laying nearby and looked it over, "See? Jist look at this shoddy craftsmanship."

"Uh, sir," Sheamus spoke up awkwardly, "Oi actually made dat wan."

"Oh," Gobber replied, having the good sense to look abashed as he turned back to Sheamus, "Well, at least ye hae an excuse. Jist shows 'at ye hav a good deal more tae learn. Here, let me show ye saemethin'."

"Alright," Sheamus replied with a shrug as he stretched his arms, "Are ye a master smith, sir?"

"Ah wudnae use fancy words like 'at," Gobber replied with a chuckle as he glanced around before picking up a nearby forge hammer, "But, Ah hae been workin' as my village's blacksmith fer years. Even had an apprentice fer awhile."

"'Ad?" Sheamus questioned as he stepped away from the anvil, "What 'appened ter 'im?"

"Well, Ah suppose he's still ma apprentice," Gobber admitted as he stepped up to the anvil and began beating on the sword that Sheamus had been hammering, talking while he worked, "Ye see, ma apprentice, Hiccup, he's th' son o' our chieftain. However, nae ane really thought he'd amount tae anythin', an' since th' chief is a friend o' mine, Ah took him on as an apprentice sae 'at he cud hae saeme way of contributing to society."

"What changed?" Sheamus inquired as he watched Gobber work.

"Well, wudnae ye know it, he went ahead an' amounted tae saemethin' jist tae spite us," Gobber explained, earning a laugh from Sheamus, "Now, it looks like he really will follow in his father's footsteps after all."

"Leavin' ye without an apprentice," Sheamus observed.

"Aye, there's th' rub," Gobber agreed with a sigh as he set the forge hammer aside and plunged the still hot blade of the sword into a nearby barrel of water, causing a cloud of steam to kick up, "But Ah'm sure saemeane else will come along."

Pulling the sword out of the barrel, Gobber held it up for Sheamus to see.

"Here," Gobber said as he handed the sword to the young man, "How daes it look?"

Sheamus' eyes widened as he looked over the sword.

"Dis is far better than anythin' Oi've ever made, sir," Sheamus stated as he took the sword, "How did ye do it so quickly?"

"Ye pick up saeme tricks when ye've been at this fer as long as Ah hae," Gobber explained with a shrug, "Also, ye had already done most o' th' work. Ah jist finished it up fer ye."

"All de same, 'tis gran' craftsmanship," Sheamus stated as he placed the sword down.

"Well, thank ye kindly," Gobber stated with grin as he rested his hand and prosthetic on his hips, "Sae, whit dae ye say? Ye want me tae help ye oot, maybe teach ye a few tricks o' yer own?"

"Oi'd like dat, sir," Sheamus answered with a beaming smile.

A/N: So, it's been awhile since I added a chapter for this one, huh? I admit, I ran into a bit of writer's block while working on this chapter but, as you can see, I managed to work my way through it. As always, feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!


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